HORDE OF PARASITES

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 59, 2 December 1933, Page 16

HORDE OF PARASITES

War on White Butterflies PLANS FOR LIBERATION Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, December 1. Approximately half a million of the parasites which destroy the white butterflies are in cold storage at the Plant Research Station of the Department of Agriculture at Palmerston North. Another 80,000 are in the insectarium. Air. J. Muggeridge, Government mycologist, who returned to Palmerston North from Hawke’s Bay this week, states that there has been little appearance of the white butterflies on account of the backwardness of the crops, and the unfavourable weather conditions. The liberation of the parasites would be concentrated in the Hawke’s Bay district, where' conditions were favourable for the establishment of a good initial colony, stated Mr. Muggeridge. Once the colony was established there would he ample of the parasites for the remainder of the Dominion. Small distributions would, however, be made in the Wairarapa, Manawatu and Gisborne districts, when the crops were full of the young larvae. It was also hoped to start a small colony in (he South Island.